Tuesday, Feb. 12, the theater will present "Love Letters," the A.R. Gurney crowd-pleaser that follows a relationship over a span of 50 years.

On Wednesday night, Feb. 13, the theater will examine the alternative in "Hate Mail," in which two people hate each other, then find themselves falling in love and finally hating each other even more than before.

Both plays follow the relationships by a pair of actors reading their characters' correspondence.

"'Love Letters' is charming and sweet while 'Hate Mail' is sharp and witty, and much more modern," said Joel Warren, Bay Street Players' creative consultant.

Mariah Lester plays Dahlia, an unhappy would-be photographer in "Love Letters," which was written by Bill Corbett and Kira Obolensky.

Ryan Smith plays Preston, a spoiled rich kid who buys a souvenir in the New York City shop where Dahlia works.

But the glass snow globe breaks on Preston's trip home. He sends a letter asking for a refund and Dahlia responds, "No way." He protests to her boss, who fires Dahlia and the hate mail begins.

In time, Preston relents, and tries to help by buying all Dahlia's nude self-portraits.

"To make her feel better, he sends her pictures of himself naked," Lester said. "She vomits."

Stephanie and Ben Adams reprise the roles of the lively but unstable artist Melissa Gardner and of dutiful lawyer Andrew Makepeace Ladd III in the Pulitzer-Prize winning "Love Letters."

The favorite of Broadway and Hollywood stars, the play tells the story of the pair's hopes, dreams and disappointments, told as they read notes, cards and letters written over the years.

"It's a Valentine's Day tradition at Bay Street to do 'Love Letters' with real-life couples, and the Adamses have done the play several times," Warren said. "It's definitely a good date night, especially with the deal the box office is offering."

That deal is $10 for a ticket or $15 for both plays.

One performance of each play will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the State Theatre, 109 N. Bay St.